The present invention relates to an ultrasonic generating and transmitting apparatus suitable for use in destruction of calculi, such as a biliary calculus and renal calculus, destruction of cells such as of cancer or the like and ultrasonic cleaning or the like.
An ultrasonic generating and transmitting apparatus of this type is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 62-152704 and Japanese Examined Utility Model Publication No. 5-46430. Ultrasonic vibration produced by an ultrasonic vibration section is transmitted via a transmission section which has a plurality of linear members bundled. A transmission section comprised of a single linear member has a small cross-sectional area and has such a shortcoming that it cannot transfer ultrasonic vibration sufficiently. The structure that binds a plurality of linear members together increases the cross-sectional area of the transmission section to be able to overcome the shortcoming.
Because each of the apparatuses in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 62-152704 and Japanese Examined Utility Model Publication No. 5-46430 binds a plurality of linear members in such a way that adjoining linear members contact each other, however, the adjoining linear members rub each other, thus generating heat. Therefore, a cooling device for preventing heat generation as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 62-152704 becomes essential, thus enlarging the ultrasonic generating and transmitting apparatus. The enlargement of an ultrasonic generating and transmitting apparatus is particularly inconvenient in an ultrasonic treatment device or the like which is used by inserting it in a human body.
The present invention aims at providing an ultrasonic generating and transmitting apparatus which can suppress heat generation even in the case where a transmission section is constituted by binding a plurality of linear members.